From the Vault

Townsites

Introduction

Much like mountains and water, townsites provide insights into the changes in land use from Indigenous Peoples, miners, ranchers, and the tourism industry. The photographs of townsites show evidence of shifting landscapes in Summit County.

General View of the Town of Robinson in 1906

General View of the Town of Robinson in 1906

This image shows a general view of the town of Robinson in 1906. The town is now covered in Climax tailings ponds. The town was originally called “Ten Mile” and was a mile south of Kokomo with a population of 850 in 1881. The principal mines were owned and operated by the Robinson Consolidated Mining Company. The town had several hotels, stores of all kinds, and a large smelting and milling works.

Photograph Courtesy of the Summit Historical Society Collections.

The Ute People were seasonal rounders, meaning they traveled with the seasons, living a nomadic lifestyle across Colorado and Utah. Typically the Ute’s lived in higher altitudes in the warmer months, following game and temperate weather. They constructed Wiki-ups as their homes which were quickly built during travel. Additionally, the county served as trading posts between Indigenous Peoples and local fur trappers. LaBonte’s Hole in what is now Lake Dillon was a popular trading site for fur trappers, mountain men, and Indigenous Peoples. When miners began to arrive in the late 1860’s townsites in surrounding mining areas began to appear. Transportation towns such as the Old Town of Dillon and Keystone also began to appear to support the mining economy and major railways. Ranchers and Homesteaders also built towns such as Slate Creek, to support their community. Finally, with the birth of the tourism industry, set towns and ski villages began to expand.

Tiger Company in Swan Gulch in 1947

Tiger Company in Swan Gulch in 1947

This image shows the Tiger Company in Swan Gulch in 1947. Tiger was a company mining town with a school, post office, and store. Mining operations ceased in the early 1930s. The town had few residents after the mines closed.

Photograph Courtesy of the Summit Historical Society Collections.

Summit County’s Lost Towns

Throughout its history, Summit County has seen many townsites disappear; these are the lost towns of Summit County. Many of these were mining towns that faded out as the mining economy crashed, while others were ranching and logging towns. Many of these towns, such as Parkville (1859-1882), were thriving. Sitting in Georgie Gulch near Breckenridge, in 1860, approximately 1,800 miners lived in Parkville. It held the county seat for a few months in 1861 and almost became the territorial capital. At one point, the town had a Post Office, a Mint, a hotel, two general stores, three saloons, a grand hall, a saddle and harness shop, and the first Summit County brewery: The Henery Weiss Brewery out of Pueblo. If you travel to the townsite today, you will not see any remains of Parkville.

Town of Robinson

Town of Robinson

This image shows a general view of the town of Robinson.

Photograph Courtesy of the Summit Historical Society Collections.

Sts. John Townsite Overview in 1910

Sts. John Townsite Overview in 1910

This image shows an overview of the town Sts. John on August 29, 1910. The town of Sts. John dates from 1867. Bear Mountain is in the background and the mill and buildings are seen in the foreground.

Photograph Courtesy of the Summit Historical Society Collections; TheErwine H. Stewart Collection.

All over Summit County, history is a piece of the land; places that are now popular recreational spots were once thriving towns. Sts. John (1867-1893), Chihuahua (1880-1889), and Argentine (1885-1907) are all located along Peru Creek, a popular skiing, hiking, and off-roading recreational area. Other towns like Robinson (1879-1911) and Kokomo/Recen (1879-1965) eventually got covered by mining tailings.

Sts. John with Gray s and Torrey s in the Background c. 1891

Sts. John with Gray’s and Torrey’s in the Background c. 1891

This image shows Sts. Johns with Gray’s and Torrey’s in the background c. 1891. The children are unidentified. The conical building in the center is the well house and on the far right, the flume and smelter are visible.

Photograph Courtesy of the Summit Historical Society Collections; The Verna Sharp Collection.

Share Your Thoughts!

What is your prediction of the changes or continuity of the mountains in Summit County?

Tag Us In Your Photos

Think you have seen where these images were taken? We challenge you to go out and get an identical picture and tag us on social media @summithistorical. Keep an eye out for your post to be featured on our page!

Donate Images of Summit County

Do you have images of Summit County you would like to donate to the Summit Historical Society? Please reach out to Morgan Courtney, Summit Historical Society Collection and Exhibition Manager, at or call (970) 468-2207.

This exhibition was completed due to the work of volunteers who have helped with the digitization process of our photograph collections. Interested in volunteering for the Summit Historical Society? Email us at . The Summit Historical Society is a member-based organization. Interested in becoming a member? Click Here to register online. 

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